cover image Nannies, Au Pairs-V72

Nannies, Au Pairs-V72

Lin Yeiser. Vintage Books USA, $6.95 (237pp) ISBN 978-0-394-75072-9

In this exhaustive, if dry, survey, Yeiser concludes that in-home caregivers, once employed exclusively by the wealthy, have arrived in Middle America to stay. In her examination of two-income families, the author explores the psychological underpinnings of life with nanny and offers useful advice about how to choose, cope and provide for the helper. Yeiser also considers what type of caregiver best matches a child's stages of development, recommending, for instance, a reliable nanny for infants and a temporary au pair for older children. Case studies provide firsthand accounts of the joys and pitfalls of relationships between children, parents and caregivers. Yeiser adds a practical dimension to this work by offering charts, pay scales and a list of nanny schools. (August)